


You're Stuck With Me

by BornToRun91



Series: The Dean/Cas Multiverse [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - School, Caring John Winchester, Glasses, M/M, Nerd Castiel (Supernatural), Punk Dean Winchester, Self-Esteem Issues, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-16 08:08:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29572980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BornToRun91/pseuds/BornToRun91
Summary: This is an origin story of Cas and Dean's friendship, tracing it from elementary school all the way through high school.  Even though the two boys ended up being very different from one another, the one thing that never changed was their care for each other.This collection includes stories that all begin the exact same way:  high school friends Dean and Cas driving together in Dean's Impala.  Beyond that though, the stories go in their own directions.  Each story is a standalone story where Dean and Cas' personalities, their relationship to one another, and experiences are different.
Series: The Dean/Cas Multiverse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2179428
Kudos: 3





	1. Pierced Ears?

**Author's Note:**

> So far, I've had fun coming up with different Dean/Cas dynamics and situations for the stories. While I have a couple more in mind, if you have an idea or suggestion, I'd love to hear it.
> 
> Thanks in advance.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two friends, a car ride, and a conversation.

Staring out the car window, Cas’ thoughts drifted away as he watched the loose leaves of autumn fly past; the sleek black Chevy Impala raced down the calm residential streets like an unstoppable force as some hairband rocked over the radio.

At the sound of Dean’s voice booming from the driver’s seat beside him, Cas couldn’t help but jump. He wasn’t sure how long Dean had been talking, trying to get his attention, but judging from his tone and heavily furrowed brow, Dean was clearly annoyed. “Dude, I’ve been talking to you for the last five minutes.” He paused for a moment, as though to let the guilt sink in. “What’s the last thing you heard?”

Dean wasn’t trying to hide his irritation, but even if he _did_ try, it wouldn’t have mattered; he and Cas had been friends long enough that Cas could pick up on the telltale signs of Dean’s frustration, no matter how subtle they may have seemed to anyone else.

“Sorry, Dean.” Cas watched as Dean shot him quick glances while trying to keep his attention on the road until Cas eventually allowed his gaze to drift back out the passenger window. He was met with the reflection of his own blue eyes staring back at him as the houses and trees rushed past in a blur. The silence between them was deafening, but what more did he need to say?

“Dude, where’s your head?” Although Cas continued to stare out the window, he could hear that Dean’s tone had changed and he imagined the furrowed brow relaxing.

They had driven another few blocks as Cas tried to figure out what he wanted to say. It wasn’t until he felt the car slow and finally stop that he turned his gaze back toward the driver’s seat.

Turning off the car, Dean removed the keys from the ignition and dropped them into the pocket of his worn leather jacket before turning on the bench seat to give Cas his full attention; Cas felt a wave of appreciation wash over him at such a small gesture.

Taking a slow breath through his nose, holding it in his lungs for a few calculated seconds, Cas exhaled and began to put his thoughts to words. “I’m worried,” he began as he repositioned himself to face Dean, “that the entire date tomorrow is going to be a mistake.” He felt his face grow warm. “I don’t exactly share details with my parents regarding my dating life, Dean, and if-- _when_ they see who I am going on a date _with_ , I don’t know how they’ll react.” Although Cas was 18 and quickly approaching graduation, he still found himself torn between his desire to make his own choices and his need for his parents’ approval. This struggle made moments like these all the more challenging.

“Cas,” Dean began as he shifted a little closer along the bench seat, “you gotta stop doing this to yourself. You--” As Cas dropped his eyes back to his hands, tightly clenched in his lap, he felt Dean’s own hand apply gentle pressure to his shoulder. He reluctantly lifted his eyes as Dean continued. “Do me a favor, will ya? Give them and yourself a little more credit, huh?” Dean’s hand stayed on Cas’ shoulder and the warmth that permeated his t-shirt and coat helped to calm his nerves. “Cas,” Dean began again gently, “what’s really going on in that head of yours?”

Sighing heavily, Cas felt his eyes roll and his head fall against the seat dramatically. “How about _pierced ears_ for starters.” Cas ran his hands over his face, upending his dark-framed glasses. “And not just pierced; half-inch ear plugs!” Cas dropped his hands from his face, readjusted his glasses, and let his tired eyes fall back on Dean whose eyebrow was slightly raised as a small smirk crept across his lips. “Am I amusing you, Dean Winchester?” Having finally put his concerns into words, Cas felt some of his muscles begin to relax; hearing himself express these thoughts out loud made him feel slightly foolish.

“Dude, my plugs are bigger than that and your parents _love_ me!” Dean’s smirk grew into a toothy grin.

“Yeah, but--” Cas stopped himself. It was true; he and Dean had been friends since elementary school, and Cas’ parents had never been able to get enough of Dean. Even now with his dark blue hair, stretched earlobes, tattooed forearms, and constant sarcasm, Mr. and Mrs. Novak had always loved him like one of their own kids. This thought made Cas smile. “Okay, okay. You’re probably right.”

Dean’s cocky smile returned as he snatched a pair of dark aviator sunglasses from the visor above him and made a show of putting them on over those green eyes of his. “I could have told you that.” His smile softened some as he pushed the glasses onto his forehead and asked Cas gently, “If you want Pamela and me to meet you guys here tomorrow instead of at the restaurant, we can do that. Just say the word.”

Cas contemplated Dean’s offer. “That would be wonderful if you truly wouldn’t mind.” The growing smile on Dean’s face was all the reassurance that Cas needed. “Can you be here early? Say, quarter after five?”

“Quarter after five it is!” Dean proclaimed. “And, Cas,” he began once again, “don’t sweat this. They’re going to love him as much as the rest of us do,” he said, squeezing Cas’ shoulder a little tighter than before. He hadn’t realized until then that Dean’s calming pressure had never left his shoulder; another one of those small, but undeniably Dean gestures that Cas would forever appreciate. “Now, let’s get you inside. I gotta look at that closet of yours. I can’t have you showing up to dinner in a sweater vest.”

“What’s wrong with my argyle?” Cas asked indignantly as he pulled on the handle and swung the Impala door open. The crisp November air made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as his eyes began to water.

“Dude, consider your audience.” Dean scoffed, sliding out of the car before slamming his door shut behind him. “If your boyfriend--someone you’ve been dating for _four months_ now--is finally going to meet your parents, don’t you think a little solidarity would be smart?” Placing a chilly hand against the Impala’s warm hood, Cas was once again left processing Dean’s words. “Hear me out. No other guy you’ve dated has ever made it home to your folks, right? So clearly you know he’s something special. Yeah, maybe he’s the first boyfriend you’ve had who’s worn anything other than formalwear on the day-to-day, but I’ve also never seen you smile as much as you have since you two got together.” It was true. Cas had never felt this happy in a relationship before, even though the outward contrast between the two of them was comical. “And even if you don’t wear ear plugs like him or have any sweet body mods like _these here_ \--” Dean made an exaggerated display of himself as he stood beside Cas, “you need to do something to bridge the gap between his punk rock look and your own nerdi...ness.” He paused briefly before continuing. “Hell, you stand next to him tomorrow in a decent rock tee and some non-lame shoes, and it can go a long way in helping your parents to see him for who he is beneath it all, especially if they see their favorite son sharing in some of those taboo fashion trends.” Dean spoke these words with an air of certainty, and as much as he loved teasing Dean any chance he could, Cas couldn’t necessarily argue with the logic.

“Dean,” Cas began, tilting his head to the side ever so slightly, “have you been reading _Cosmo_ ?” At the sound of Dean’s full laugh and the pull of his strong arm around Cas’ shoulder, he continued. “Or maybe _Psychology Today_? I’ve never known you to be so deep.” Cas leaned into Dean’s arm as they chuckled and walked across the street towards the Novak house.

“Hey, man,” Dean said as he opened the front door and stepped inside, Cas following closely behind him, “it’s all Pam! She’s taught me a lot of deep and insightful shit, alright?”

“Language, Dean!” a voice called from somewhere in the house.

“Sorry, Mom!” Dean called back sheepishly. No matter how many times he'd said it over the years, hearing Dean call Naomi "Mom" always made Cas smile.

With a sigh, Dean pulled Cas closer to him and whispered into his ear, his lips tickling Cas’ neck, “Dude, if your mom stops calling _me_ her favorite son because she heard me say ‘shit,’ I’m never driving your ass home from school again.” Cas felt a laugh escape his own lips as they trudged to the rooms in the back of the house.

Cas couldn’t get rid of the smile as they walked to his room. Dean’s voice had returned to a normal volume as he began to spitball some ideas for what Cas could wear the following night for what would be their first of many double dates.


	2. Where It All Began

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On their double date, Dean talks about the early days of his friendship with Cas.

The restaurant was pretty calm for a Saturday night and Dean attributed it to the new place that opened up downtown, but he wasn’t complaining; this meant less noise, less wait time for refills, and less shoving past tables.

The four teenagers had been talking for close to an hour, but the conversation never died and they never ran out of things to say.

“So, Dean,” Dominic began, running his fingers through his long black hair, pushing it back and making his blue eyes visible. “How did you and Pam meet?”

Dean smiled as he glanced over at his girlfriend. “We’ve actually been going to school together since middle school. We didn’t really know each other until high school. Uhm, freshman year, we had English together and that’s when we started talking. And then last year, we were in the same science class and that’s when we started hanging out and stuff.” Pam had been listening and nodding as Dean spoke, a small grin on her face; she playfully nudged him when he said, “Obviously, we had chemistry and she was instantly smitten with me.”

Across the table, Cas hung his head and chuckled. “You know, Dean, I thought you would have outgrown the ‘chemistry’ pun, but it seems I was mistaken.” With a turn of the head to his date, he added, “I do have to admit, I had higher hopes for his humor.”

Dean’s face lit up. “Okay, that was good though, right? ‘Chemistry’? You know, cuz we were  _ in _ chemistry and because we started dating?” Pam gave a slow and dramatic  _ guffaw _ that was dripping with sarcasm, but it didn’t matter; Dean knew he was funny.

“This upcoming Monday is actually our anniversary, so the timing of this date tonight worked out beautifully.” Pam placed her hand between Dean’s shoulder blades, and he found himself subconsciously leaning his head to her shoulder. Even though he was taller than Pam by a couple inches, she sat tall and her shoulder was the perfect height.

“Rock on, rock on,” Dominic encouraged. “And congrats.”

“Thanks, man,” Dean replied before pressing a small kiss to Pam’s cheek and sitting back up.

“Yeah, well, we may have  _ met _ in chemistry, but our love story will never compare to these two schmucks,” she said, indicating between Dean and Cas. At that comment, a big and genuine smile appeared on Cas’ face and Dean offered him a fist bump.

“You’re fucking right!” he exclaimed, a little louder than intended. Thankfully, it was getting late enough that there weren’t any little kids within earshot.

Dominic sat back in his chair, his arm resting on Cas’ shoulder. “Okay, so, this I have to hear.”

* * *

The day before Dean started fourth grade, he got his first pair of glasses. Even though he hated the idea, his dad had insisted. The frames were dark and thicker than he wanted (frankly, he didn’t want  _ any _ glasses, but he lost that fight before he even opened his mouth to argue), but his dad said they looked good on him, so here he was.

“Dean, stop messing with ‘em. You’re gonna muck up the lenses.”

From the backseat, Dean scrunched up his face and gave a very dramatic scowl, but did as he was told. “I don’t need these. I can see just fine.” He crossed his arms across his chest and allowed himself to sink back farther into the seat.

As the car stopped at a red light, John turned to face his son. “Alright, take them off.” Dean was thrilled to get the stupid things off his face, but before he could shove them in his pocket, his dad said, “Now, look out your window and read the blue words on that sign.”

Dean could see the sign that his dad was talking about, but for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out what it said. No matter how hard he tried or how much he squinted, he couldn’t get the blob of blue to separate into letters. Finally, as the light turned green and the Impala began to move again, Dean unceremoniously put the glasses back on his face, ignoring the smile from his dad as he watched through the rearview mirror.

“I look like a goof,” Dean muttered.

“Hey now,” John began, his voice bordering on scolding. “Believe me when I say that’s not the glasses’ fault.” With a smile, he watched as his son buried his face in his hands. Although Dean still hated wearing these stupid things, he couldn’t help but smile at his dad.

Beside him, Dean could hear his little brother Sammy snickering to himself. With a roll of the eyes, Dean glanced back out his window, pushing his glasses farther up his nose.

Dean hated school, and the first day always made him feel queasy. He was smart enough and was looking forward to seeing some of his old classmates, but missing out on the last warm days of the year and having to sit in a desk for hours just made him feel...meh. Plus, even though he didn’t like to admit it, he’d grown used to spending his free time with his baby brother and his folks, so going the entire day without seeing them added to his feeling of meh-ness.

“Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad!” Dean called over his shoulder as he and Sammy slid out of the car. Both boys gave big waves to their parents as they dashed across the playground, backpacks bouncing against their backs, as they searched for familiar faces.

The kids milled about. Although he disliked being in school, Dean didn’t hate this part too much. As he talked to some kids from last year, he was pleasantly surprised by the compliments he was getting on his nerd glasses; the praise left him standing a little taller and feeling a little better about having to wear them. After a few more minutes of running around and talking about their summer adventures, the bell rang and everyone started lining up to enter the building. Near the door, big yellow numbers were painted on the blacktop signifying room numbers, and the kids lined up by the number that corresponded with their class.

Dean made his way to the back of the line for room 201 when he realized that he couldn’t read the words plastered to the side of the building. He squinted and realized that something was wrong. Slapping himself in the face and poking himself in the eye, his fears were confirmed: his glasses were gone.

In vain, he searched the ground around him, but found nothing. He remembered the kids saying that they liked his frames, but he couldn’t remember when that was or when his vision suddenly became less clear. His stomach began to turn uncomfortably as he imagined how disappointed his dad would be to hear that he lost his new glasses on the first day of school. Still on his hands and knees, Dean was straining his eyes to search around him when an unfamiliar voice said, “Are you looking for your glasses?”

Dean picked up his head and looked in the direction of the voice. In front of him, he saw a blurry figure with an outstretched hand, and in the hand were Dean’s missing glasses. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he took them and put them back on his face.

“Yes! Man, you’re a savior!” Dean looked back up and saw a kid who appeared to be around his age, although he didn’t recognize him. The boy reached his hand out again, and Dean accepted as he was pulled to his feet. “Thanks. I’m Dean.” He offered the kid a smile as he threw his backpack over his shoulder once again.

“Hello, Dean. My name is Cas,” the boy said in reply. They smiled at one another as the line for room 201 began to move. To Dean’s surprise, Cas was following closely behind him as he stepped into the school.

“Are you in Ms. Hanscum’s room, too?” Dean dropped back a little to walk beside Cas as they made their way down the school’s main hallway.

“Yes, I believe so.” Cas pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper and skimmed the words as he walked. “Yes, Ms. Donna Hanscum, fourth grade, room 201.”

“Sweet, me too. She always seemed pretty nice when I’d see her in the hallway last year.” Up until then, Dean had had very little reason to go up to the second floor of the building where the fourth and fifth grade classes were held, but on the occasions where he had art or music upstairs, Ms. Hanscum always stood out to him as being a super chill and nice person.

“I wish I knew what to expect. My family moved here at the start of the summer, so I can’t even rely on my siblings to help me out.”

“You have a big family?” Dean asked as they approached the staircase leading up to the second floor. Although he was a fairly active kid, he hated how winded he felt climbing stairs.

“Uhm,” Cas began, clearly struggling as much as Dean was, “not really. It’s me, my parents, and then I have two older brothers and one younger.”

Instead of replying immediately, Dean waited until they had reached the landing at the top of the stairs and then tried to slow his breathing. “I mean,” he began, his breathing still choppy, “that’s kind of big. It’s my parents and then I have a little brother, too. His name is Sam.”

Cas perked up. “My little brother’s name is Sam too. He’s starting here. First grade.”

“Mine too!”

As the boys walked into the classroom, they were still chuckling together.

Ms. Hanscum’s room was pretty cool as far as classrooms go. Her bulletin boards were decorated a little, but they weren’t as bright and obnoxious as many of the others Dean had seen in past years; he found her handwriting to be totally legible and less formal than most teachers; and although she had a seating chart for them, she arranged desks alphabetically by first name, so Cas sat right in front of him.

As far as first days of school go, this was not the worst that Dean had ever had. When the bell rang to announce morning recess, he poked Cas in the back. “So, what do you like to typically do during recess?”

Cas seemed a little stumped by that question and unsure on how to answer. “I don’t normally do anything. Like, I guess I just enjoy sitting and people-watching.”

“Mind if I join you?” Dean asked as they descended the stairs and walked back through the doors that had welcomed them inside earlier that morning.

“I would like that,” Cas said with a smile.

As they plopped themselves down against the building, Dean took his glasses off of his face and inspected the lenses. Up until then, he hadn’t had any issues with them, but the glare of the sun helped make all sorts of smudges and things much more obvious. Dean started rubbing at the lenses with his thumb, but found that he was just making things worse.

“Can I take a look at those?” Cas held out his hand.

“You know a secret?” Dean hadn’t really noticed before, but Cas wore glasses that were almost identical to his own, and even without his own glasses on, he could tell that Cas’ were far cleaner. “I just got mine yesterday, so I’m not so sure how to take care of ‘em.”

“Well, here’s what I can tell you. One option would be to get a microfiber cloth or something similar and wipe them down. Otherwise, you could run them under water and maybe use your shirt if it’s not too abrasive. However, the real trick is using spit and then good ol’ fashioned elbow grease.” Dean watched as Cas spit on the lenses and used the corner of his polo to rub gentle circles against the glass until the smudges were gone (at the very least, they were  _ much _ cleaner than they had previously been).

“Thanks, man.” Dean put his glasses back on and was pleased to see that--well--he could see again. “So,” he said, turning back to Cas, “tell me about yourself.”

September faded into October, and the winter months were upon them. Over that time, Dean had learned that Cas’ older brothers were named Michael and Gabriel, that his family had lived in Wisconsin before moving to Kansas, that his favorite color was purple, his favorite TV show was  _ Jeopardy! _ , and that he wasn’t super social.

That year, the snow fell pretty steady in the week leading up to winter break. When they had made it to the final Friday before their week and a half away from school, everybody was getting antsy. During morning recess, Cas and Dean were once again sitting together, their backs rested against the building, and they were discussing their plans for the time away from school as they watched their classmates work off some of their built up energy.

“Man, as long as I go sledding at least once, I don’t really care.” Dean didn’t especially love the winter months (the freedom of summer and the spookiness of Halloween were his favorite seasons), but he had to admit that sledding was fun. “Hey, over break, you wanna get together and go to Watchtower Park? Most people go to Fletcher for sledding ‘cuz the hill is massive and they have a pull rope, but Watchtower is, like, a hidden gem. You’ll like it.”

“I’ll have to ask my parents and get a sled, but that sounds like a wonderful idea. Thank you for inviting me.”

“Of course, man. What are friends for?”

Before leaving school that day, Cas and Dean had exchanged home numbers. Cas promised to call as soon as he heard back about their prospective sledding plans, and by 4:30 that evening, the boys were already on the phone having decided to go sledding the following morning. Even with 11 days away from school, they didn’t want to miss out on any chances to hang out.

By 8:30 the following morning, Cas and Dean had made it to Watchtower Park with sleds in hand and there was not another soul in sight. They spent the next hour going up and down the hill until they were tired, sore, and windburned.

“I told you this place was a gem!” Dean panted as he collapsed on his back, trying in vain to wipe snowflakes from his glasses. He was starting to feel the effects of the countless trips they’d made up the hill, along with the bruises he’d gotten from the trees he had been unable to avoid.

Cas smiled in reply, laying on his sled with his head thrown back and eyes closed, as though trying to sun himself. After a moment, Cas sat up. “I’m getting hungry. Want to come over? Michael and Gabriel don’t usually wake up until this time, so there is a good chance that my dad will be working on breakfast.” As though Dean needed further reason to make a trip to the Novak house, Cas said, “I mean, there’s also a good chance there will be bacon.”

“Dude, you had me at breakfast, but you stole my heart with bacon!”

Sure enough, when the boys arrived, Mr. Novak was already in the kitchen and the smell of breakfast--but most importantly  _ bacon _ \--took over Dean’s senses. Gabriel and Michael were already at the table, their heads resting on their arms, as Cas announced their arrival.

“Dad, this is Dean.” Jimmy Novak turned and waved to Dean, unable to speak with a piece of bacon hanging from his lips. “Would it be okay if he stayed for breakfast?” In response, Jimmy nodded and gestured to the table with his spatula.

Although Dean had been to Cas’ house before, Jimmy was always at work. From this first impression, Dean noticed that Cas was the younger version of his dad. They both had messy black hair, piercing blue eyes, and soft features; they even seemed to have the same glasses.

As Dean sat down, Gabriel picked his head up off the table. Gabe, although five years older than Cas, was a couple inches shorter and a bit chubbier than his baby brother. “Mornin’, Dean-o,” Gabe said; his voice sounded playful and alert, but he looked like he was about to fall back asleep.

“Morning, Gabe. You’re looking especially rough this morning.” In response, Gabriel shot Dean a playful side-eye and Jimmy chuckled.

“You just wait ‘til you get to high school. Then you’ll see.” As though he needed to be more dramatic, Gabriel let out a massive yawn that left his mouth hanging wide open.

Before Dean could respond, Jimmy spoke. “Alright, guys, I’m coming up behind you, so please don’t move. I’ve got quiche and bacon.”

Dean leaned closer to Cas. “What’s quiche?”

“It’s a fancy word for egg pie.” Michael never picked his head up from the table, but his deep voice was nonetheless heard loud and clear.

“Dude, pie for breakfast?” Dean sat up straight in his chair, unable to hide his enthusiasm.

Jimmy peeked over his shoulder as Dean stared at the steaming pie plate set in the middle of the table. “I mean, it’s not a fruit pie or anything. It’s primarily eggs, but this one has cheese, spinach, onion, and sausage.”

“Mr. Novak, I don’t care what’s in it. It’s pie!”

“So, Dean, how was it?” Jimmy Novak was sitting at the end of the table, nursing a glass of orange juice with his own empty breakfast plate pushed aside.

Dean held up a finger as he swallowed his last huge mouthful of bacon before he spoke. “Sir, I didn’t know I could even like spinach, but that was amazing. Thanks again for letting me eat with you guys.”

Jimmy smiled and his voice was soft, yet certain. “Absolutely. Any friend of Cas is always welcome.”

Dean looked to Cas who had just finished his own plate of food and was wiping his hands and face on a folded napkin. Pushing back their chairs, the boys smiled as they excused themselves, putting their dirty dishes in the sink.

As they turned back to the table, Jimmy held up a hand. “You boys can leave the rest. Your mom and Sam should be back soon enough from their errands; we’ll leave this out for them.”

With that, the boys left the kitchen, Dean sending one final “thanks” to Cas’ dad as they made their way to Cas’ bedroom.

Having already called home and gotten permission from his mom, Dean spent his first day of vacation at the Novak house. The boys played with action figures and built Lego sets for hours, escaping outside that afternoon to build snowmen and have a snowball fight in the backyard before it got too cold.

As the sun started to set that evening, Cas and Dean were walking in the direction of the Winchester house as Dean dragged his empty sled behind him.

“Okay, your turn. Truth or dare?” Cas was smirking.

Dean thought carefully. “Dare.” He knew what he was doing; Cas wasn’t the kind of kid to ask him to do something too weird, so he wasn’t worried.

With a smile, Cas said, “I dare you to walk the rest of the way home with your boots off.” He seemed very proud and confident with himself, almost as though he didn’t expect Dean to do anything so foolish; too bad for him that Dean was just dumb enough to do this, no questions asked. Besides, they were about four blocks away from Dean’s house.

Plopping himself on the ground, Dean pulled off both of his winter boots and threw them into the sled. As he stood up, he immediately felt the snow and slush begin to soak through his socks, but he didn’t care; the cold was refreshing against his sweating feet. Cas looked mildly annoyed at Dean’s lack of complaining, but smiled nonetheless as they continued to walk.

Now, with a coy grin, it was Dean’s turn. “Truth or dare, Cas man?” And surprise surprise, Cas chose truth.

“Alrighty then. Who is the cutest person in our class?” Dean couldn’t hide his own smirk.

Cas thought and thought for a moment as they walked, and Dean started thinking that he wouldn’t answer when he finally said, “Benny Lafitte.”

Dean stopped in his tracks and dropped his sled. “Did you say ‘Benny’?” Cas looked back, his expression guarded, but unwavering. “Like,  _ Benny _ Benny?” Again, no reply. Dean was hoping that Cas would explain himself, say  _ anything _ to help Dean make sense of this answer, but that was clearly not in the cards. Instead, with his socks saturated and nose numb, Dean spoke once again. “Dude, I can’t understand half of what he says. He talks like he’s got a mouth full of syrup or somethin’! How is that cute to you?”

Cas rolled his eyes but smiled big. “That’s the thing, I don’t know what he’s saying most of the time either, but he has an infectious smile!” Although he was looking towards Dean, it was clear that Cas’ mind had begun to wander. Even if Dean didn’t think Benny’s southern accent was all that cute, Cas was right about the boy’s smile; it was contagious. “Besides,” Cas continued, his eyes still seeming to stare through Dean, “his eyes are super blue and captivating.”

At this, Dean rolled his eyes. “Dude, who actually uses a word like ‘captivating’? Besides, your eyes are, like,  _ super _ super blue! Aren’t you used to looking at blue eyes by now?”

Cas smiled, grabbing a hold of Dean’s sled and running down the sidewalk ahead of him. “Hey, dude! Wait up! I want my boots back!” Even without the sled to slow him down, Dean couldn’t will his cold feet to move fast enough to catch up to Cas. And as Dean rounded the corner and turned onto his own street, he could already see Cas making his way up Dean’s driveway, plopping himself down on the Winchester front steps.

Pushing through the bitter cold, knowing a warm house and dry socks were only a few houses away, Dean hated himself for ever choosing dare. Stupid game.


	3. "Mom, Dad, This is My Boyfriend"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After dinner, Cas introduces Dominic to his second family, the Winchesters, and reflects on the introduction of his boyfriend to his own parents.

“How is everything, guys?” their server asked, taking advantage of the brief pause in Dean’s story to check in once again. The clock on the wall showed 8:47. Cas had no idea how almost three hours had gone by since they arrived at the restaurant, but he wasn’t complaining; he had never had such a fun dinner before, date or otherwise.

“Very well, thank you. And I think we’re ready for the bill whenever you have time.” Once Cas had removed his wallet from his pocket, he turned a steady gaze back to their server, reading the name Scott on his name tag. “Now, Scott.” Cas’ voice had taken on a tone that said he meant business, to which Scott’s eyes opened more fully and he gave his undivided (although a bit overexaggerated) attention. “ _I_ will be taking the bill this evening. Not him,” he said, pointing to Dean, “or him or her.” Chuckles erupted around their table, but Cas never broke eye contact with Scott. “Do we understand each other?”

As the other three began to argue, Scott threw up his hands. “Whoa, whoa. Now, I’m sure you three are nice and all, but I’m not going to mess with this guy. Sorry, folks.” With that, he smiled, took their dirty plates, and called over his shoulder, “I’ll be right back with that check.”

“He deserves a raise,” Cas said with a smile as he turned his eyes back towards the others.

After dinner, the group had decided to go back to Dean’s house for a while.

“We have to stop for gas quick, but we’ll be right behind you,” Dean called over as he unlocked the doors of the freshly-washed Impala. Although the night air was chilly, he pulled off his leather jacket and threw it onto his seat. Standing in nothing more than his favorite black Led Zeppelin t-shirt, he stretched his back against the Impala’s sleek frame, not relaxing until a loud _crack_ could be heard and a sigh escaped his lips. Near him, Pam effortlessly pulled her thick black hair into a messy bun.

Cas felt Dominic’s warmth as he wrapped an arm around Cas’ waist which he happily leaned into. He gave Dominic a small smile before turning his eyes back to Dean and speaking again. “Good. This will give me time to make _proper_ introductions.”

“Oy, you think I’d embarrass you or something?” Dean called as he slid onto his seat, pulling the door shut behind him.

“We’ll see you boys there!” Pam yelled as she opened her own car door. With a smirk and a wave, she disappeared into the car as the engine roared to life.

The Impala pulled out of the parking lot and Pam threw them a wave from her open window as Cas grabbed his own keys from his coat pocket. “That was fun,” he said as he unlocked the car door, but before he was able to climb in, he felt Dominic’s hand tap his from across the top of the car. Looking over, Dominic’s blue eyes seemed full to the brim with feeling as a gentle smile appeared.

“Tonight has been amazing, Cas. I know how nervous you were about me meeting your parents, and I’m glad that went well, but getting to hang out with you and _your people_ has made me happier than I can really say. Thanks.”

Cas didn’t know how to respond. The four of them had been hanging out since Dominic and Cas became an item, but they’d never done a proper date like this before. He wasn’t sure what to say in reply, but was hoping that his own smile and the small squeeze that he gave Dominic’s hand in return would be enough.

Parking in his designated spot on the Winchester’s driveway, Cas threw his car in park and turned to face the passenger seat. Before he had a chance to say anything, he took in his boyfriend’s face properly: Dominic had pushed his long black hair aside and was toying with one of the plugs in his ear. “Hey,” Cas began, resting a hand on Dominic’s leg which, up until then, had been bouncing nervously. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh,” Dominic began, dropping his hand and instead playing with the zipper of his black jacket. “I, uhm, I don’t know. I’m just a little nervous.”

“What do you mean?” Cas asked. The car ride over had been a little more quiet than normal, but nothing had happened that made Cas think there was anything to be nervous about.

“I know how important Dean’s family is to you and I just don’t want to mess things up.” Without facing Cas, Dominic sent an uncomfortable side-glance his direction.

“Wait, you have nothing to be nervous about. For Pete’s sake, _Dean_ is their kid, so if you’re worried that they’ll take issue with your appearance, then please relax.” Cas rested a hand on the back of Dominic’s neck until they were facing one another. “Trust me. They’ll love you as much as the rest of us.”

Dominic seemed to take comfort by this as he took Cas’ hand away from the back of his neck and pressed a small kiss into his palm. “Alright,” he said, taking one more calming breath. “Let’s do this.”

The boys climbed out of the car and stood together before walking up to the front door, hand-in-hand.

Opening the screen door, Cas gave the outer door a rhythmic knock, pulling on the handle before waiting for any reply.

The front living room was warm and bright in contrast to the cold, dark November night behind them. As Cas stepped inside, holding the door open for Dominic to walk in with him, Cas turned to see John and Mary sitting on the couch, as though they were waiting to greet Cas and his guest.

“Hi, sweetie,” Mary began, pushing her long blonde hair away from her face as she stood up and met them at the door. They shared a brief, warm hug before turning to face his boyfriend.

Taking a breath, he tried to calm the nerves that he didn’t realize were growing inside of him as he said, “This is my boyfriend, Dominic. Dominic, this is my other family, Mary and John Winchester.”

Mary offered Dominic a hand which he gratefully shook, although Cas could tell that he was still struggling to overcome nerves. As they shared a brief introduction, Cas felt a warm clap on his shoulder from John who smiled softly at him before extending a handshake to Dominic as well.

Waiting for Dean and Pam to arrive, Cas and Dominic sat on the loveseat while John and Mary resumed their seats on the full length couch. They shared in some brief smalltalk before Cas noticed John looking at him fondly while smiling. “Dammit, kid. Dean got you dressing like him, huh?”

Cas grinned, looking down at his black t-shirt (the well known logo for the band Queen was staring back at him) and gray zip-up. “Yeah, he let me borrow most of my wardrobe for tonight, and actually the shoes as well.” He wiggled his feet in a pair of black Chuck Taylors that were about a size too big.

“I never thought I’d see you in something other than dress shirts in my life. This one here,” John said, indicating towards Dominic, “must be something special if you borrowed clothes from _my_ kid.”

Dominic seemed to relax a little bit more at this comment from John, and Cas was glad; although he had such respect for John and Mary, and their opinions meant a great deal to him, he had never experienced anything other than love and kindness from them both.

Just then, the front door opened and there was Dean, his arm around Pam’s shoulders, wearing his aviator sunglasses. At the sight, John rolled his eyes and Cas couldn’t help but comment.

“You know you look like an idiot, right? How can you even see with those things on?”

Clearly, Dean had been waiting for such a response, because he slid them up to rest on the top of his head before saying ever so casually, “They’re prescription lenses. Duh.”

Rolling his eyes, Cas turned to look back at Dean’s parents who were both smiling as they got off the couch to say hello to Pam.

The plan was for the four of them to eventually make their way downstairs, but before they made it there, they all settled in to the living room. They were all together--the four friends, Mary, and John--talking and laughing when suddenly John called over to Cas, “Hey, kid, help me in the kitchen, would ya?” Although Dominic seemed a little uncertain, Cas gave him a reassuring pat on the knee before standing up and following closely behind John.

It appeared that he was going for the fridge, but instead, John turned and leaned against the counter, putting his hands in his pocket and looking at Cas. “So,” he began, his eyes full of care, “did you make the introductions at home tonight too?”

Cas smiled and nodded. “I did.”

“And?” In a way that reminded him so much of his son, John was looking at Cas intently, giving him his full attention.

“Truthfully, I was very nervous, but it went surprisingly well.”

* * *

  
  


Cas had set a silent alarm on his watch for 5:10 in anticipation for Dean and Pam’s arrival. Even after Dean’s help the day before with choosing an outfit that would “bridge the gap” between his conservative and his boyfriend’s more eccentric styles, with Dean going so far as to loan clothes to Cas for the occasion, he was still nervous about the impending introductions. Although it was so like Dean to offer to be at his side when Dominic finally met his parents, that didn’t make the gesture any less important or meaningful; Dean had always been there for him, even when Cas didn’t realize he needed it, and this night was no different.

Like clockwork, Pam and Dean knocked on the front door at 5:15, both of them dressed in their typical black-on-black. As though they were wearing “his and her” outfits, Pam and Dean were both wearing black graphic tees, dark leather jackets, ripped blue jeans, and black “shit kicker” boots as Dean liked to call them. While Pam’s black wavy hair was down, reaching a few inches past her shoulders, Dean’s dark blue hair looked _especially_ blue and was pushed into a fauxhawk; his green eyes popped behind his thick black frames which he so often went without, choosing to wear contacts instead, but it seemed that tonight was a special occasion.

“Mom, I’m home!” he called as the door swung shut behind him.

“Is that my favorite son that I hear?” Naomi Novak asked in a singsong voice, stepping into the front hall with a kitchen towel thrown over her shoulder, Jimmy following closely behind.

Shooting a grin in Cas’ direction, he gave Cas’ mom a hug before turning and doing the same to his dad. Pam was no stranger to the Novak house, but Dean did a reintroduction as a courtesy.

The five of them moved into the living room together, but Cas found that his attention continued to wander to the front window, waiting for Dominic’s arrival. Earlier that day, his parents had both made small comments about his atypical outfit (“Well, don’t you look--different,” “Were your khakis dirty? You know, I could have done a load if I had known”); it had otherwise gone over fairly well, but he was so unsure about what to expect with Dominic’s introduction.

He wasn’t really expecting his parents to take issue with Dominic, but he had never done the whole boyfriend-parent introductions before, and Dean was right: Dominic wasn’t like any other guy he had dated before. In fact, he couldn’t have been more different, in appearance or in how Cas felt around him. Before they started dating, he and Dominic had weighed the pros and cons of risking their friendship by making it something more, and although he had zero regrets, this was still all new enough that he didn’t want to risk anything happening between them.

There was a tentative knock on the door that made them all fall quiet, but Cas found that he couldn’t make his legs stand up. After a second knock, this one a little more hesitant than the first, Dean nudged him gently and Cas jumped to his feet, stumbling forward. As he reached for the doorknob, he took a deep breath, mustered up the willpower to lift his arms which had otherwise felt like dead weight at his sides, and opened the door.

Standing in front of him, more handsome than he had ever seemed before, was Dominic. His dark black hair was parted carefully to the side, his favorite blue ear plugs just barely visible; his black Metallica t-shirt peeked out from under a black collared shirt which was buttoned up about half way, and his black jacket was layered on top. Dominic’s eyes seemed to open a little more when he saw Cas’ outfit as well.

Cas opened the door a little more, allowing Dominic to enter the house properly, before shutting the door behind him. With Dominic at his side, he turned back to the living room to find everyone else standing and facing them. The breath seemed to leave his lungs, but the slight touch of Dominic’s hand against his was everything that Cas needed in that moment.

Stepping forward, he opened his mouth to speak when he found that his tongue was dry and he had to clear his throat awkwardly. Before he was able to try again though, Dean pushed past him.

“Get outta the way, Cas. I didn’t come here to see you.” He threw his arms around Dominic, laughing as they hugged, with Pam standing directly behind him.

“Hey, get a room!” she said, pushing Dean out of the way. While Pam and Dominic shared a hug, Dean threw a powerful arm around Cas’ shoulder, pulled him to his side, and placed a small kiss on the top of his head.

Allowing himself a few deep, calming breaths, he felt another hand fall on his shoulder. Turning, he saw his parents standing behind him, small smiles on their faces.

“Oh,” he said awkwardly. “Mom, Dad, this is my boyfriend.” Even to his own ears, the words sounded deceivingly calm, and Cas began to wonder if maybe, deep down, he knew that there had never been anything to worry about. “Dominic,” he continued, stepping near his boyfriend once again and facing his mom and dad, “this is Naomi and Jimmy Novak.”

Dominic’s breathing faltered as he offered his hand which was accepted immediately by Cas’ dad. “Dominic, it is a pleasure meeting you.” Jimmy’s face displayed a genuine smile and Cas felt as though his legs would give out beneath him. “We’ve heard quite a bit about you and I’m sorry it’s taken so long to meet.” At that, Jimmy stepped aside and allowed Naomi to meet Dominic properly, which she did in a display that was more loving than Cas could have ever hoped for.

“Well, we’re gonna get going here pretty quick,” Dean said once the pleasantries and chatter seemed to die down.

“Cas, honey. Before you go, can I talk to you quick?” Naomi had a big smile on her face; turning back to Dominic who was standing between Pam and his dad, Cas gestured that he’d only be gone a minute before following his mom into the other room.

“Do you need help with something, Mom?”

Instead of answering the question, Naomi took a hold of Cas’ hands until they were facing one another. There was an expression behind her eyes that Cas couldn’t put his finger on, and his heart began to race a little more.

“Cas, Dean pulled your father and I aside yesterday before he left the house.” _Dean did what now? And why? And when exactly?_ All these questions made Cas’ stomach drop and he instantly felt as though he was going to puke. “Honey, he told us that you have been making yourself sick about us meeting Dominic. Is that true?”

Cas stared down at his feet, at the too-big shoes that he had borrowed for this occasion, not exactly sure of what to say. Was it insulting to tell his mom that, yes, he had been terrified that his parents would judge his boyfriend for his appearance? Did that make him sound pathetic? But before he had a chance to speak, he felt his mother’s arms being thrown around him. “I’m so sorry, honey. Until he talked to us yesterday, I never realized how big of fuddy duddies we’ve really become.” _Oh fuck,_ please _tell me that Dean didn’t call my parents ‘fuddy duddies.’_ As Cas tried not to think about it, he noted the tears in his mom’s eyes. “But Dean’s right, honey. There is nothing that you could do to make any of us trust you or love you any less.”

Trying to prevent his own eyes from overflowing with tears, Cas took a small hiccupy breath and joked, “You know, Mother, if I became a killer, I would hope that you would realize that you had some misplaced trust.”

With a smile behind her eyes, Naomi looked at him thoughtfully. “Cas, I said there is nothing that _you could do_ . I can’t get you to kill a spider, you pacifist. How would you _ever_ kill a human being?”

* * *

As he told this tale to John Winchester, Cas found that his glasses were fogging up slightly as warm tears began to roll down his cheeks. Looking back across the kitchen to John, he noticed a coy smile flash across his face. “Ye, of little faith, Cas. Of course your parents were going to love him. How couldn’t they? You,” John said, pointed a finger at Cas, “have always been one of the most kind hearted, responsible, and logical people I have ever met. Mature far beyond your years. If you see the value in a person, there is no reason to assume that someone else won’t.” Now, the tears were pouring from Cas’ eyes more freely, and he sniffled as he tried to wipe those tears away. He looked up just in time to see John walk up to him and wrap his big arms around him. “We love you, kid. Don’t ever forget that.” Cas dug his hands into the back of John’s shirt and leaned his head against his chest; John was not and never had been an emotional, touchy-feely guy, and although Cas always knew that John cared about him, this meant the world coming from him. “Besides,” John said when he finally released Cas, “have you seen my kid? If anyone can look past that goofy hair of his and his weird fuckin’ tattoos, then nobody else should ever be concerned!” With that, John ruffled Cas’ hair and the two walked back to join the others.


	4. And The Rest, As They Say, Is History

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean is finally able to finish telling the story of his and Cas' friendship.

It was almost ten o’clock when the four finally settled into the basement, spreading themselves out over the couch and floor. Even though they had just come from dinner, several bags of chips were open and being passed between them.

Dominic was cracking open his second Mountain Dew when he turned towards Dean and asked, “So, where did we leave off?”

* * *

For the remainder of their time in elementary and even through middle school, Dean and Cas were inseparable. They spent so much time together that both sets of parents had to make the rule that, on a school night, the boys were not allowed to get together (tears and arguments were always inevitable when they had to say goodbye); however, nonschool nights were something else entirely. And for the boys, it didn’t matter if they had big plans together or no real plans at all; they just wanted to hang out.

By the time high school came around, both boys had begun to develop their own personalities and senses of style. For Cas, he found that he needed to minimize distractions as much as he could in order to maintain his 4.0 GPA, while Dean took a different approach.

“Dean, _please_ , just pay attention. We have semester finals in two weeks!” Although he was not able to prove it, he accused Dean of causing his hair to gray prematurely.

They were half way through freshman year. Even though Dean was doing well enough in all of his classes, Cas always gave him the same lecture: “‘Cs get degrees’ may be true, but it is also a completely absurd statement. You are squandering true potential, Dean. You know, the study habits that you establish in 9th grade will help you find success through senior year and beyond.” It got to a point where Dean would silently mouth the words as Cas would repeat them to him time and time again.

On this one particularly chilly Friday, with those semester exams in sight and having heard Cas’ lecture for the millionth time, Dean snapped. “Fuck, Cas! Just let it go!” 8th hour English was about to start, and although Dean’s shout earned a couple sideways glances from other kids in class, nobody said anything, including Cas. Instead, Cas looked hurt, downtrodden, and borderline teary. Dean didn’t have the energy to have a conversation with him now, and instead got up from his desk and left the room.

Maybe he didn’t love school and tended to slack a lot, but he wasn’t one to skip. In fact, he had really good attendance for being a little shit who didn’t really apply himself, but he just couldn’t handle any more school that day.

Having already had his backpack and jacket with him and not needing to stop at his locker, Dean left the building. Very few people paid him much attention as he walked out the side doors and made his way to the park on the other side of the football field. There, he dropped himself down on a bench, leaned his head back with eyes closed, and rubbed his hands over his face, displacing his glasses in the process.

He wasn’t sure how long he had been sitting there when he felt someone drop down beside him. His head snapped forward and he opened his eyes, but found himself unable to see thanks to the sudden intake of bright light. After rubbing his eyes a bit, he looked and saw Cas sitting beside him.

“Dude.” Dean checked his watch. It was only 2:23; school didn’t get out until 3:00, which meant that Cas was skipping class, and Cas did _not_ skip class. “What the hell are you doing here?” Dean couldn’t keep the concern from his voice; he may not care much about his own academics, but he’d be damned if Cas was going to throw away his future because of him.

“It was too nice outside; I didn’t want to sit in a classroom.” Cas locked eyes with Dean, but his face reflected no emotion.

“Fuck that, Cas. We have to get you back to school.” Dean tried to pull Cas up, but Cas’ stubborn ass wouldn’t budge. “Dude, let’s _go_!”

“Dean.” Cas spoke in a voice that was unfamiliar; although his voice was typically deep and gravely, this sounded angry, serious in a way that Dean had never heard before. “I am not leaving, so you can sit back down and talk to me.”

Without another thought, Dean did what he was told. He was not sure what was more surprising at that moment: Cas skipping class, Cas’ frightening tone, or the way that Dean complied immediately with no further argument.

“Now,” Cas began again, “what’s going on?”

Suddenly, Dean’s cheeks felt warm. He reached up and touched his face, both surprised and appalled to find tears running down his cheeks. When had this happened? Why? He turned to look at Cas whose face had not changed; no expression or emotion was showing, and before he knew what was happening, Dean lost it.

“I can’t fucking do this, Cas! I just can’t!” Dean leapt to his feet, toppling his backpack over and sending his books sliding out. Although it was mid-January, there was very little snow on the ground, so most of his things didn’t go very far, but truthfully, he didn’t care. He opened this can of emotional junk and it was all coming out now. “I can’t study like you, I’m not smart like you, and no matter what I do, I’ll never get the grades like you! If anything, I’m just gonna bring you down and I can’t fucking do that to you!” His heart was racing and his face was both cold and warm, but he wasn’t done yet. “I can’t hang out with you anymore, alright? Fuck, look at what I do! You skipped class today, Cas. For me!” Dean began to walk around the bench, kicking at chunks of snow and ice when suddenly, he slipped and fell to the ground. Without snow to cushion his fall, he was left with his tailbone and his pride both bruised.

Instead of getting up, Dean just sat there and cried until he felt someone crouching down beside him. Blindly, he reached for Cas who allowed himself to be pulled down next to him, and the two just sat together. After who knows how long, Dean was able to slow his breathing and regain composure enough to look up, but Cas’ face was still void of feeling and expression. When blue eyes met green eyes, Dean began to feel foolish on top of everything else, but Cas didn’t move and instead kept his arms around Dean’s shoulder.

In the distance, the school bell rang, signifying the end of the day, and that was when Cas stood up and helped pull Dean to his feet, but they didn’t go far. Cas led Dean back to the bench before bending over and putting his books back in his backpack and securing it once again between his feet. Cas then grabbed Dean’s glasses out of the snow and carefully wiped away the snowflakes that had settled on them as best he could with the sleeve of his jacket. When everything was back in its place, Cas sat himself down and looked at Dean intently.

“Dean.” Cas’ voice was less abrasive than before, but it still remained flat and emotionless. “I want to help you.” Dean sat up straight, preparing to argue, but Cas held up a finger to silence him. “I don’t mean with school. Right now, I want to help you figure out what you’re feeling.”

Uh, _feeling_ . Dean didn’t do well with feelings, and he hated talking about them. But as though Cas knew what he’d been thinking, he continued. “Yes, I said _feeling_ , Dean Winchester, and you’re going to just have to deal with it. You know, you are truly one of the kindest and most compassionate people I’ve ever met. There has never been a moment where you weren’t there to help me when I was going through something--anything--and yet you shy away from talking about yourself. Well, today, you’re done with that. Do you understand?” This powerful, no-nonsense tone was not something that Dean expected to hear from Cas, but he nodded his head nonetheless.

“Cas,” Dean began, clearing his throat and sniffling, “I‘m not a good influence on you. You spend more time trying to get me to pay attention than you spend on yourself in class. And let’s face it, if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have half the grades that I do.” Dean stared down at his boots as he swirled his feet in the snow. “You’ve got a future out there, man. I don’t.”

“Why would you ever think that?” For the first time since they were in class, that voice sounded like the Cas that Dean knew so well. Although still gruff, it also had a softness to it and it made Dean hang his head in shame.

“Cas, you could go to any college. Like, _any_. Hell, most of them will probably pay you to go there. Me?” He laughed. “That’s not in the cards for me. I’ll be lucky to graduate.” And it was true. Although his parents were wonderful and never doubted him, Sammy was the son with the smarts and the future, not him. Dean was the goof, the one who made people laugh, the one that other people could count on if they needed something, but he wasn’t built for school.

“And why do you think I’d want to go somewhere without you?”

Dean picked up his head. “The hell does that mean?”

Cas turned to face Dean more completely, tucking one leg under the other. “You’re being awfully presumptuous. Although we’ve exhausted just about every topic there is to talk about, we’ve never actually talked about what we want to do after graduation. I know this to be true because I don’t know what I want to do with my life. And yeah, maybe I could get into some college far away, but who says that I want to? Are you actually implying that you know what’s better for me than I do?”

With this final question, Dean was left stammering. “No, Cas, absolutely not. I--I’m sorry. I don’t--like--I would never--”

Cas stopped him with a look. “You better fucking believe that you don’t know what’s better for me. I am in control of my own future, Dean. Not you or anyone else. And if I say that you are, have been, and will continue to be my best friend until the day that I die, do you really think that you know better?” Once again, Dean didn’t know what to say. He was left, mouth agape and his cheeks freezing. “Now, I’m not a specialist, Dean, and I’ll be the first to admit that; however, I think what you just experienced was bordering on a panic attack. Or, at the very least, an outpouring of self-doubt that has been pent up for quite some time.”

Dean dropped his head in shame, but once again, as though he could read his thoughts, Cas continued to speak. “There is absolutely _nothing_ to be embarrassed about, Dean. You’re not the first or the last person who has felt this way, and I hate to say it, but this will probably not be the only time that this happens. We are our own worst critics, but here’s what you do need to understand.” Cas lifted Dean’s chin slowly and was sure to lock eyes once again before continuing to speak. “I have never lied to you, Dean. When I tell you that you have true potential that is not being put to use, I know this to be true; when I say that study habits formed now can help you in the future, I know this to be true. And so you suck at playing school. So what? I enjoy being a student because I like structure and I am good at thinking logically; those are not your strong suits, and therefore, you think you’re stupid, but nothing could be farther from the truth. I am going to help you, Dean, and not because I have to. Believe me when I say that I would not invest my time and energy into a relationship if it was going nowhere. You and I both know this to be true, and I have invested some of the best years of my life in our friendship, and I have no intention of stopping now or letting you drop me because you think it’s what _I_ need.”

The silence that followed was powerful and Dean could do nothing but nod his head. Although he still believed that their friendship was not an equal, two-way street (he had so much more to gain from Cas than Cas did from him), he knew better than most that what Cas was saying was true: he would not waste his time on anything or anyone that was not worth it, and that thought alone lifted Dean’s spirits.

Dean nodded his head and when Cas responded by doing the same, Dean leaned in for a hug. The two sat there together for a moment before standing up and beginning the walk home. It was Friday which meant that it was movie night at Dean’s house, although after everything that just transpired, Dean assumed that Cas would be building in some study time as well.

With Cas’ help, Dean did in fact pass all of his exams, and he did so with far better grades than he had ever anticipated. And that was just the beginning of the academic climb that Dean would make.

Although his attention span was nowhere near that of Cas and he had no desire to shut out distractions completely, he had found a way to strike a pretty great balance between academic success and a thriving social life. Even when Dean started “living the punk rock life” with his piercings and tattoos, and Cas was fearful that they would drift apart, Dean did everything in his power to prove that he couldn’t have been more wrong. The boys continued to study together, hang out most days, and text constantly when they weren’t together. During their junior year, when Dean started talking more with Pam and things between them started to get serious, he could tell that Cas felt a little apprehensive; although they had both dated people throughout high school, Dean’s feelings for Pam were different, and Cas was starting to feel the effects on their friendship.

After Cas mentioned his fears to Dean (although he refused to make eye contact as he did so), Dean once again reminded him that he was going nowhere, and he made an effort to not let things change too much between him and Cas, but some change was inevitable.

The summer going into their senior year, Dean showed up at Cas’ house on a Saturday in mid-June. Although summer had only just begun, they slept in as much as possible, typically not rolling out of bed until well after 10, and soaked up the moments of freedom while they still could, making this surprise arrival from Dean a real surprise.

Throwing open Cas’ bedroom door and letting it slam against the wall, Dean ran and leapt onto Cas who was still wrapped up in bed, the blankets pulled tight around him. If the sound of the door hadn’t done enough to wake him with a start, then all 175 pounds of Dean definitely did.

Accidentally slapping himself in the face as Cas fought the sleep enough to figure out what was happening, he let out an exasperated sigh when he saw Dean beaming at him. He grabbed his black framed glasses and put them on his face as he sat himself up.

“Uhm, Dean, hi, good morning, and all of that; I’m not dressed and frankly, I don’t know what’s happening.” Cas was shirtless, but they’d stayed at each other’s houses often enough for Dean to know that he would be wearing some pair of plaid pajama bottoms under his blanket; as far as not knowing what was happening, that was part of Dean’s plan.

“Yeah, yeah. I know, but I’m pretty stoked about something and I want to show you.”

“How did you even get in?” Cas seemed completely unfazed by Dean’s enthusiasm and was instead rubbing his eyes and blinking at the clock. “Dean, it’s 8:50.”

“First off, you interrupted me; rude. Second, your mom never minds when I pop over. In fact, I have a key.” When Cas shot him a look that said “bullshit,” Dean amended his previous statement. “Okay, so I don’t _have_ a key, but your mom told me where the spare is, so it’s basically mine to use. And third!” With the increased voice volume, Cas was left blinking, as though the words themselves were hurting his eyes as much as his ears. “What I wanted to show you couldn’t wait. Well, I guess it could have, but I didn’t want it to.” Scooting back, Dean allowed Cas to sit himself up a little more properly before he began to speak, this time in a voice that was calm and yet happy.

“So, you’ve been my friend for a long time. Like, a really, _really_ long time. It’s not always been easy, and I think we’ve both gone through times where we’ve felt like we aren’t good enough for the other, which, yeah, that happens and shit, but it shouldn’t. Not between us.” Dean paused, trying to read Cas’ face. “Lately, I know that Pam and I have been spending more time together, and I know how that’s made you feel.” Cas dropped his head and readjusted his glasses which were sliding down his nose. “Nah, nah, nah,” Dean said, pushing at Cas’ shoulder until he looked up again. “You don’t get to hang your head. I’m _glad_ that you told me. You’re my best friend, Cas, and no matter what happens with us--who we date, where life takes us, or anything--I never want you to forget that.” Cas smiled, although his smile seemed to be lacking some of its usual luster, as though he were uncertain by the sentiment.

Once again, Dean sat up even straighter and he couldn’t contain the smile that crept across his face. “And that’s why I got this.” Adjusting the sleeve of his shirt, Dean drew attention to a bandage on his right bicep that covered a portion of his arm, under which was a new tattoo. Although Dean was no stranger to tattoos, this was the first one on the upper portion of his arm, so Cas’ interest peaked even further.

Carefully removing the bandage, Dean revealed the image of thick black-framed glasses with a splash of blue and green watercolor over the top. Cas looked at the tattoo, and then up at Dean. He repeated this a couple times before Dean smiled. “You and I became friends back in the day because of glasses, go figure, so I thought this was symbolic enough of where our friendship started.”

“Th--” Cas began, but he was struggling. “Those are m--my glasses.”

Dean smiled. “Yeah! Thankfully, you’ve had basically the same style since we were kids, so it was frickin’ easy to settle on the picture. And I’m guessing you can figure out the significance of those two colors.”

Cas’ glistening blue eyes met Dean’s steady green gaze and before he knew it, Cas had thrown his arms around him. “I just need you to realize that you’re stuck with me for the long haul, alright?” Dean felt Cas’ affirmative nod as warm tears began to soak through his shirt. “Good. Then in that case, get your ass out of bed. You’re taking me to breakfast.”

* * *

  
  


“And the rest, as they say, is history.” At the conclusion of his story, Dean noticed that everyone around him was smiling.

“Straight up, do you really have that tattoo?” Dominic asked, resting his arms on his knees. Dean adjusted the sleeve of his t-shirt and there, just as crisp and fresh looking as the day he got it done, was the picture of Cas’ glasses beneath the mix of blue and green. “That’s fuckin’ sweet.” Dominic leaned over and put an arm around Cas’ shoulder.

“I hope someday he gets a tattoo for _me_ ,” Pam said with a smile. Dean leaned over and kissed the top of her head as he grabbed the cans of soda tucked by his feet and threw one to each of them before cracking open his own.

“Here’s to some pretty fuckin’ awesome people,” he said, extending his can and waiting for his friends to join. In response, the other three opened their own cans and tapped them together before taking a drink. In true Cas fashion, he took a single sip, while the other three began to chug their sodas.

“Wait,” he said, tipping his own soda back again and trying to keep up.

When all four cans were drained and carbonated burps were erupting around the room, Dean took out his phone and called everyone to sit together on the couch. Although it was a little cramped, they made it work. Together, they took a pretty damn good picture, all four of them smiling, nobody blinking, with Cas and Dean sitting side-by-side, where they’d been since fourth grade and planned to stay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to tell a story in which the characters' sexualities are part of who they are, but are at no point a source of stress or contention for anyone because that's how life should be.


End file.
